Rehabilitation and Conservation Framework of Old Inner ...

International Journal of the Malay World and Civilisation (Iman) 4(Special Issue 2), 2016: 13 - 24(http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/IMAN-2016-04SI2-02)

INTRODUCTION

According to UNESCO, “The problem of old towns and cities is even more acute in developing countries, where the great wave of modernization came not in the nineteenth century but in the 1950s and 1960s, usually around the time when political independence was achieved.” Most of the Asian countries was achieved the independence after World War II and started growth rapidly especially in the center area of colony in early century or

Rehabilitation and Conservation Framework of Old Inner Area in Asian Mega Cities

Pemulihan dan Pemuliharaan Rangka Kerja Kawasan Lama dalam Bandar Mega Asia

Teh Yee Sing & Sasaki Yoh

ABSTRACT

This paper addresses the framework of rehabilitation and conservation of old inner city areas in Asia which have so far received very little attention in urban development process. To ensure these areas are dynamic and evolving over time, exploring the heritage conservation concepts and urban planning idea in term of conservation values and honoring it into the principles and elements through the urban planning process not only help the new urban infrastructures greatly, but also cause the urban sustain the development in historic contexts and its identity. Thus, the need for urban rehabilitation and conservation is discussed with reference to a number of cases, i.e., Tokyo, Shanghai, Hanoi, and Penang. The method and system which have been implemented during the process of conserving the old inner city would be reviewed. From the particular models, delineation of the framework is provided, and some key aspects of rehabilitation and conservation are highlighted. The paper concludes with considerations on the value for area rehabilitation and revitalization approaches which contribute to tourism, cultural and socio-economic of the city. It then discussed the merit of those frameworks from the example models if they are integrated into new concepts of use in conservation effort towards the urban growth nowadays.

Keywords: Old inner city; Asia; rehabilitation; conservation; framework; urban growth

ABSTRAK

Kertas kerja ini membincangkan rangka pemulihan dan pemuliharaan kawasan bandar lama di Asia yang setakat ini mendapat perhatian yang sangat sedikit dalam proses pembangunan bandar. Memastikan kawasan-kawasan ini adalah dinamik dan sentiasa berubah dari semasa ke semasa, meneroka konsep pemuliharaan warisan dan idea perancangan bandar dari segi nilai-nilai pemuliharaan dan menghormati ke dalam prinsip-prinsip dan elemen melalui proses perancangan bandar bukan sahaja sangat membantu infrastruktur bandar baru, tetapi juga menyebabkan bandar mengekalkan pembangunan dalam konteks bersejarah dan mengekalkan identitinya. Oleh itu, keperluan untuk pemulihan dan pemuliharaan bandar dibincangkan dengan merujuk kepada beberapa kes, iaitu, Tokyo, Shanghai, Hanoi, dan Pulau Pinang. Kaedah dan sistem yang telah dilaksanakan dalam proses pemuliharaan bandar lama akan dikaji semula. Dari model tertentu, penggarisan rangka kerja disediakan, dan beberapa aspek utama pemulihan dan pemuliharaan diketengahkan. Kertas ini diakhiri dengan pertimbangan nilai untuk pemulihan kawasan dan pemulihan pendekatan yang menyumbang kepada pelancongan, kebudayaan dan sosioekonomi bandar. Ia kemudian membincangkan merit rangka kerja dari model contoh jika ia disepadukan ke dalam konsep baru penggunaan dalam usaha pemuliharaan ke arah pembangunan bandar pada masa kini.

Kata kunci: Bandar lama; Asia; pemulihan; pemuliharaan; rangka; pembangunan bandar

more far back ago. In the same time, the developed countries today have achieved the certain level in conservation effort no matter in terms of practical or theoretical. However, continuously regenerating the historical inner city by sustaining its liveliness and healthy circulation are still the issue of today.

Heritage has become a driver for urban development nowadays as the conservation concept is getting emphasized in urban planning process. A continuous and sustainable approach, such as organic approach of revitalization is needed

14 Teh Yee Sing & Sasaki Yoh

(Steinberg 2011). The transformation of historical area to megacity is always the most difficult part to drive because of the modernization today. The heritage has been impacted and its unique characteristics and authenticity has been vanishing by development wave. Some cities have broadened their roadway or elect the high-rises in their already densely populated city around heritage building and monument. Thus, it severely damaging the style and feature of the city, and demolishing the cultural relic indirectly. This paper addresses the framework of rehabilitation and conservation of old inner city areas in Asia which have so far received very little attention in urban development process. To ensure these areas are dynamic and evolving over time, exploring the heritage conservation concepts and urban planning idea in term of conservation values and honoring it into the principles and elements through the urban planning process not only help the new urban infrastructures greatly, but also cause the urban sustain the development in historic contexts and its identity. Thus, the need for urban rehabilitation and conservation is discussed with reference to a number of cases, i.e., Tokyo, Shanghai, Hanoi, and Penang.

CASE STUDY

THE CASE OF GEORGE TOWN, PENANG (MALAYSIA)

Penang, an island in Peninsular Malaysia with a history of urban growth of more than 200 years, grew as a British trading port with traders and settlers coming from Europe and other parts of Asia. It has grown from a small British colony in the 18th century to one of the most modern metropolitan areas in South East Asia today. It has brought different religious and cultural beliefs and practices came to this small island which forming the society and urban of Penang nowadays. Georgetown, the capital city of Penang is well known for its heritage which includes the architecture of about 5,000 pre-war buildings in the inner city of it (Figure 1). With its mixture of cultural and architectural styles, Georgetown is a quite unique city in the world. This has qualified Georgetown, together with Malacca, to be inscribed in UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage List on 7 July 2008, as “the most complete surviving historic city center on the Straits of Malacca, with a multi-cultural living heritage originating from the

trade routes from Great Britain and Europe through the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent and the Malay Archipelago to China.

George Town

FIGURE 1. Georgetown, Penang

As the main trading port of British colony in the 18th　century at Straits of Malacca, Georgetown was the center of the administration, commercial, residential, education and religious. Penang has experienced rapid population growth after independence of Federation of Malayan in 1960s. This is mainly due to its urban and industrial developments that promote internal migration of adult population from other states to Penang. In 1970, the state population was only 776,124. In 1990, the population of Penang has grown from just over a million people to about 1.8 million in 2010. There were about 16,000 foreign nationals in Penang, today there are about 100,000 foreigners living here. The settlements have been expanded rapidly from city center of Georgetown to South East of the island since 1900 to second half of 20th

century (Figure 2). Thus, the population in inner city of Georgetown has decreased of 46% from 18,660 people to 10,000 people in 2010.

Teh Yee Sing & Sasaki Yoh 15

FIGURE 2. Urban growth of Penang Island, 1840–1999.Source: Penang Island Structure Plan 2005–2020

CONSERVATION PATHWAY

In order to preserve the heritage in historical area George Town, a policy on conservation areas was introduced in the early 1970s. Town plan was first time included the conservation plan as a part of it. The rapid urban change of Penang Island fostered a public conservation movement and an International Conference on Urban Conservation and Planning helped to raise awareness in the mid-1980s. In 1985, the local government developed guidelines to prevent the destruction of properties with heritage value although conscious conservation efforts had begun in the 1970s in the form of policy statements. In the early 1990s some demolitions and conservation projects attracted attention (Table 1). In 2008, Georgetown has inscribed in UNESCO list as a World Heritage City.

TABLE 1. Urban heritage conservation effort in Penang

Period Year Urban Heritage Conservation Effort in Penang

1970s 1973 Interim Zoning Plan of Georgetown1976 Antiquities Act

1980s 1985 Town and Country Planning Act adopted by The State of Penang1987 Formation of Penang Heritage Trust1989 Structure Plan of Penang Island

Conservation guidelines for Inner City of Georgetown1990s 1993 Restoration Projects

1995 Review of Georgetown Conservation GuidelinesAmendment of Town and Country Planning Act

2000s 2000 Repeal of Rent Control ActIntention of Submission for inclusion in UNESCO, World Cultural Heritage for Georgetown and Malacca

2002 Heritage Conservation Fund2005 New Penang State Structure Plan2006 National Conservation Act2008 Malacca and Georgetown listed in UNESCO World Heritage List as Historical Cities of the Straits of Malacca2009 Setting up of World Heritage Office in Penang

Source: Penang Island Structure Plan 2005–2020.

ZONING THE HISTORICAL AREA TO CORE ZONE AND BUFFER ZONE

Anyhow, there is increasing of modern threats to the urban heritage of the Malaysian historic cities of Georgetown, including the traditional way of life especially when tourism sector becoming the growing industry and employment source to local people. The replacement of traditional trade with the tourist

orientated businesses is the one of trend in historical area. Tourist attractions were getting stale and beginning to lose their relevance to modern visitors. Penang Island was beginning to lose its historical identity around the mid-1990s. There was a growth of unattractive concrete high-rises and worsening traffic in Georgetown. Many property owners and developers remained largely dissatisfied about the economic viability of historic conservation. After


inscribed in UNESCO list, a ‘heritage core zone’ now exists in the oldest quarters of Georgetown. It covers an area of about 109 hectares in the heart of the old city, with 150 hectare ‘buffer zone’ surrounding it, within which the buildings are protected by local regulations (Figure 3).

FIGURE 3. Conservation zonesSource: Penang Island Structure Plan 2005–2020

INJECTION OF LIVELINESS BY INTRODUCING THE STREET OF HARMONY

CONCEPT IN INNER CITY OF GEORGETOWN

The built environment can be described as a living museum that represents the link between Penang‘s past history and the present which is home to diverse communities and cultures. State Government has an aspiration of developing the historical center of the city of Georgetown as a truly “Living Heritage City”. Florence Graezer　Bideau and Mondher Kilani, the researchers from Switzerland have concluded the effort of Local Government in rising up the liveliness of Georgetown: “The Street of Harmony connects places that are considered symbolic of Penang’s various communities. It was conceived from a universalist perspective that brought together different histories (notably those of the East and the West), different religions (Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism, Taoism), different diasporas (from Aceh in what is now Indonesia, from the Hadramaut in Yemen, and from China, India and Europe), and different architectural heritages (a series of Chinese shop houses, as well as buildings in the Malay vernacular and the India-inspired style).” As the global city, Penang has some

common characteristics and challenges for all mega-cities, such as complexity, dynamic, fast growth and uncertainty. The conservation effort within inner city of Georgetown has to be continued without exploiting by extreme development and modernization.

THE CASE OF HANOI (VIETNAM)

Capital of Vietnam, Hanoi　is has existed since the city was founded in 1010. It was originally the center of Vietnamese rulers in the Imperial City, and a residential area for commoners. In the early 1st century, the area emerged as an important trade and craft center. As the state intervened to control and direct economic activities across the country, the Ancient Quarter’s vibrancy dropped significantly during the decades of the communist centrally planned economy from 1954 to 1986. A determination of being the core of a rapidly developing nation that can make it to be a symbol for the region’s growth started after the reforming of a series of economic and politic initiated by Doi Moi government in 1986 which began Vietnam’s path towards integration into the world economy. It has shifted Vietnam toward a “socialist-oriented market economy.” According to Steinberg 2011, the country is now fully on the track of development with rapid market-driven growth. Hanoi’s Ancient Quarter and the French Colonial Quarter have seen a very vibrant private sector development in tourism, handicraft production and commerce during recent years since the opening and internationalization of the economy (Figure 4).

FIGURE 4. Urban development of HanoiSource: M. Waibel 2003


CONSERVATION IN ANCIENT QUARTER OF HANOI

With the growth targeted by Doi Moi government after many efforts have been taken in reforming the economy, in 1992, the government has decided to incorporate the heritage preservation matter in the Hanoi General Plan (Figure 5). Within 20 years, government has putting a lot of effort in controlling the threat to heritage asset in Hanoi. Until 2011, the amended 2020 Hanoi General Plan has included the heritage protection as one of the principal objectives (Table 2). Nguyen 2001 wrote that, the main concerns and aspects of Hanoi master and detailed plans address the needs to preserve the Ancient Quarter and the French Colonial Quarter are: Reduce its population density, improve the infrastructure, relocate the squatter housing and protect the environment, and restrict the average construction height of 2-3 storey and limit the number of high rise buildings. The content is mainly concerned to the management and control of urban planning and land use, appraisal and approval of urban development projects, foreign investment projects. As the consequence, Ancient Quarter has an enormous revitalization in both spatial and economic terms.

FIGURE 5. Ancient quarter of Hanoi

TABLE 2. Urban heritage conservation effort in Hanoi

Period Year Preservation Effort

1990s 1992 Incorporate heritage preservation matter in Hanoi General Plan1993 Regulation on Construction Management and Conservation of the Ancient Quarter1995 Set the principle of conservation and restoration of the Ancient Quarter.

Introduced Preservation, Embellishment and Development Renovation and Development aims at sustain the urban development through partnership among all actors from public, private, non-governmental sectors

1996 Prime Minister addressed the need to preserve French Colonial Quarter’s unique identitySet the limitation of high rise buildings

1998 Department of Conservation Management of Ancient Quarter was formed.Hanoi’s People’s Committee and office of the Architect-in-Chief is directly in control the developments in Ancient Quarter.

2000s 2004 Ancient Quarter classified as National Historic Heritage by the Vietnamese Ministry for Culture and Information2011 The amended 2020 Hanoi General Plan has included the heritage protection as one of the principal objectives.

ECONOMY REVITALIZATION: TRADING AND RETAILING

Most of the houses in central streets of Ancient Quarter are using its frontage as retailing outlet (Nishimura, Phe 1990). Retailer, traders, their families, and the residents there play the important role in affecting the development of the Ancient

Quarter. Business transited rapidly and dynamically on a national scale. In the early stages of the transitional phase which were during 1987-1992, this private sector boom (retailing) was initiated by local residents who transformed their tube house living quarters into private retail outlets. Local population benefited so quickly from the renovation policy (Waibel 2004).


SPATIAL REVITALIZATION: BUSINESS ACTIVITIES ALONG THE STREETS IN

ANCIENT QUARTE

The area also became a main location for street hawkers, who commute daily from the suburban countryside to sell goods. The high commercial attractiveness is the symbol if this quarter because of the extension of business activities in front of the houses / pavement. It has brought the significant effect on tourism sector. According to Lim 2003, there is more than half a million people daily move in and out of the Ancient Quarter.

As the rapid growth inner city, Hanoi is among the most crowded residential areas in the world. How to accommodate that and still preserve the heritage in an adequate way is an enormous challenge. The government is playing a very important role in making decision of plan implementation process for sustaining the urban growth meanwhile preserving the heritage as the urban asset.

THE CASE OF SHANGHAI (CHINA)

Nanking Treaty was signed on the 29th of August 1842 after the end of First Opium War (1839–1842) between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the Qing Dynasty of China. It was the opening of Shanghai port for foreign traders. From that colonization period, it then started the modernization process of Shanghai urban. Cultural

integration and early modernization are the significant of Shanghai identity. During the early 20th century, there was already confusion from all over Europe, Russian, Jewish refuges came to Shanghai. In 1986, Shanghai being selected as National Historical and Cultural City. Before the former leader of China, Deng Xiao Ping announced the Chinese economic reform in 1978, China’s economy system is planned by the strict control of communist government. Without devoted to its urban development, Shanghai had contributed to a large portion of the country’s production after the reforming. Shanghai has had a new mission which is becoming advanced metropolis. It tried to generate as much prosperity as possible since the open policy has been announced. Tsai 2008 wrote that, to achieve the goal set for economy development, few noticeable characteristics of the planning and governance of Shanghai which strongly influence its historic fabric are historic fabric: market-oriented reform, promotional strategy, and changing urban governance.

THE EVOLUTION OF PRESERVATION STRATEGIES IN SHANGHAI

With the Chinese open policy and the consequent rapid development in the inner city, the issue of historic preservation has emerged because of pressures changing the urban landscape. The evolution of preservation strategies in Shanghai is shown in Table 3.

TABLE 3. The Evolution of Preservation Strategies of Lilong in Shanghai

Period Year Urban Heritage Conservation Effort in Shanghai

1980s 1988 Notice of “Concerns with important survey and protection of historic modern buildings,”Beginning of survey and preservation of historic modern buildings in Shanghai

1989 The list of heritage building was approved. The listed historic buildings were protected by the law of cultural relics. 1990s 1990 Historic buildings were recognized as an individual category which should be managed independently

Government initiated the first project to redevelop and reuse the historic buildings on the BundRegulations have been refined. More than 2,000 buildings in the greater Shanghai area have been selected for preservation.

1991 Shanghai Municipal People’s Government issued the “Measures for the preservation of historic modern buildings of Shanghai City”.The Shanghai Municipal City Planning Administration edited the “Conservation Plan of Historic City Shanghai”.

1994 “Interim Provisions of Shanghai Municipality on the Replacement of the State-owned Houses in the Bund” was promulgated.

1995 Changing the function of historic buildings from political use to commercial business.Adaptive reuse of historic buildings has gradually become one of the major approaches applied to cultural heritage.

2000s 2003 Preservation Regulations of Historic and Cultural Districts and Historic Buildings of Shanghai City” was carried out.2004 The concept of historic preservation among the officials further developed.

Shanghai government created 12 preservation zones, giving historic neighborhoods at least some protection. Source: Adapted from The Redevelopment and Preservation of Historic Lilong Housing in Shanghai, Tsai 2008.


CREATIVE INDUSTRIES AS THE HERITAGE TOURISM ATTRACTION

Historically, Shanghai was the breeding ground for the modern industry of China. It is the fi rst Chinese city to survey and conserve its industrial heritage in China. In Shanghai, the rehabilitation of dilapidated factories, warehouses, residential houses into commercial mixed use and creative industry has becoming trend to preserve the historical monument and heritage building. It can be seen from Tianzifang and Xintiandi in Shanghai old district area (Figure 6). Compared to the demolished neighborhoods, the development of Xintiandi and Tianzifang refl ect effort to prevent the destruction of Lilong buildings and successfully preserve the liveliness there by injected the commercial activities and creative industry to it. Both are also making profi ts concept.

FIGURE 6. Shanghai old district area Source: Modifi ed from Google Map

ADAPTIVE USE AS THE CONSERVATION STRATEGY IN XINTIANDI OF SHANGHAI

As the most famous commercial plaza in Shanghai, Xintiandi was a signifi cant conservation outcome which has won the name of “embracing the city’s past while melding it with the commercial realities of modern urban living.” It is the outcome of a Lilong adaptive reuse project which changed the residential function of Lilong to a mixed commercial use. The rejuvenation project of Xintiandi in Shanghai has been said to have been introduced with the concept of adaptive reuse. Adaptive reuse has mainly been recognized as a viable option in relation to the industrial structures and the creative industries in accordance with the “new marketing method”. Thus, Shanghai adaptive reuse has been defi ned as a viable option to the industrial heritage and the “twin goals of cultural innovations and economic development” (Zhang 2007).

The transformation of historical area to megacity is the most diffi cult part to drive because of the modernization today. Shanghai has shown the strong intention of utilize the heritage asset in marketing the charm of international identity with the west and east authentic image.

THE CASE OF TOKYO (JAPAN)

As the capital of Japan, Tokyo is playing the very important role in many aspects such as economy, social, administration and also the most populous urban agglomeration in the world. As the largest metropolitan area in the world, Tokyo metropolitan region and adjoining urban area has over 35 million populations in this region. Tokyo was established as the administration center since Tokugawa Ieyasu made it as Edo base and he became the shogun in 1603. From a small fi shing village, the town became the center of Tokugawa Ieyasu nationwide military government and the population achieved one million by the 18th century. Edo period ended after 263 years when overthrown under the banner of restoration imperial rule so that Meiji restoration period has started. As the consequences of Meiji restoration, the emperor moved to Tokyo from Kyoto and made Tokyo as the base of administration center. Tokyo has facing the signifi cant changes under the two different governmental system which were feudalism (Edo Period) and modernism (Meiji Restoration Period). Other than the changes of administration system, Tokyo has also facing the great changes by the disaster. One was Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923 and another was the damaging by World War II (WWII). Tokyo was ruined by air raids during the World War II. Most of the buildings burnt and destroyed. In 1946, War Disaster Restoration Plan 1946 was enacted by government. Meanwhile, the reconstruction of central business areas happened in the traditional urban structures which were constructed in Edo period (1603-1868). Townscape preservation (machinami hozon) and environmental protection fi rst came to public awareness in Japan in the late 1960s. In 1975, Traditional Architectures Preservation District System has been introduced to protecting the urban heritage in Japan. However, in Tokyo Region, there are only two merchant towns, Sawara in Chiba Prefecture and Kawagoe in Saitama Prefecture are designated as preservation district. Due to the pressure of redevelopment from surrounding, some


of the historical downtown at the central area of Tokyo is not eligible to be designated as preservation district. Despite of it, some area such as Yanaka and Kagurazaka still have certain levels of historic or vernacular environment. The collaboration between residents and local authorities is the benchmark of Japanese machizukuri (urban planning). Urban /

Heritage preservation planning usually involve the community to participate in various workshops and community activities. A series of experimental collaboration between public and private sector are very common in Japanese machizukuri. Table 4 has shown the preservation effort of inner city in Tokyo at Yanaka district.

TABLE 4. The preservation effort of inner city in Tokyo – Yanaka District

Period Year System

1980s 1980 Yanaka Community Committee, Youth Solution Committee

1984Revival of local festival : Chrysanthemum Festival First publication of YaNeSen Magazine (Yanaka, Nezu, Sendagi) indicated the beginning of revitalization of local culture.

1986-1989 Favored by economy booming of Japan, Yanaka area has facing the development pressure from surrounding.

July 1989

Local volunteer group set up Yanaka Gakko (Yanaka School) by the collaboration of local residents, professors and university students. The purposes of setting up Yanaka Gakko are:1) Rediscovering local resources,

a. Cultural Exhibition Gallery: Display handicraft made by local residents, recover the cultural value of Yanaka and encourage the cultural interaction.

b. Pilgrimage of Greenery: Rediscover the greenery, water resources, and space value of the area. The historical study, building survey, area information, learning environment and road awareness were also organized for deepen the understanding of public to the area.

2) Propositions to the community: Conservation and utilization of the historic buildings, street and landscape were proposed. The support and proposal of utilization of heritage building, solution of transport system in planning were provided by the professional and volunteers in Yanaka Gakko.

3) Link with the community: The linkage activities between the group and local people were created. The seminar, forum, children learning course, festival, flee market, and cultural experience were hold.

1990s 1998 Neighborhood association and Yanaka Gakko started the duty in controlling physical features of the area.

2000s 2003Yanaka Gakko was divided to be two NPOs:1. Support machidukuri activities2. Develop cooperative housing projects suitable to Yanaka.

COMMUNITY COLLABORATION OF URBAN HERITAGE PRESERVATION IN INNER CITY

TOKYO - YANAKA DISTRICT

Yanaka district (Figure 7) has not been preserved under any legal system even until today. In 1979, Yanaka Community Center was established for the purposes of local community planning. It welcomes the public to join for machizukuri discussion. The grass-roots movement of townscape preservation started in 1980s. The improvement of environment based on local community is recognized as “community building” machizukuri (Hohn 1997). The local residents first published a magazine called Ya Ne Sen with the theme of rediscovery of local resources of Yanaka in 1984. In July 1989, the local volunteer group has set up the Yanaka Gakko (Yanaka School) by the collaboration of local residents, professors and university students.

Neighborhood organization and Yanaka Gakko started collaborated together in preserving the physical features change of the area at 1998. These groups were playing the important role in opposing a large-scale apartment proposed in the area. As a result, both the community groups and developers were satisfied with the idea proposed. The process encouraged the local community and obtained the agreement to preserve the cultural landscape through adoption of a “community building charter”. At the end of 2003, Yanaka Gakko was divided to two NPOs. One is to support machizukuri activities and another is to develop cooperative housing projects suitable to Yanaka. The awareness of local community on their heritage asset and the collaboration with professors and university students has generated the conservation system which is managed by them. The establishment of NPOs for heritage and cultural preservation, proposing solution for living


environment has shown the positive perception of local community to their living environment and preserving the heritage asset.

YaNeSen

FIGURE 7. Yanaka District

THE REMARKABLE PRESERVATION EFFORT AND SIGNIFICANT IMPACT

Four (4) cities above have shown the different effort and framework in preserving the urban heritage at the different timeline. In order to preserve the urban heritage and intangible asset within old inner city, the long process has to be carried on upon the time. Each city has its different pathway in achieving the goal. Table 5 has shown the factors of rehabilitation and conservation initiative in inner city, entities involved to in conservation effort, method of implementing the conservation, preservation type, achievement / current status, and the implications of conservation.

Table 6 has shown the factors and elements of the rehabilitation and conservation pathway in inner city of these 4 cities.

TABLE 5. The heritage conservation factors / elements

Rehabilitation & Conservation

Initiative in Inner City

EntityInvolved as

Conservation Pioneer

Method of Implementing the

Conservation

Preservation Type Achievement / Current Status

Implication

• Urban Development Pressure

• Urban Decay

• Government- Federal- State- Local

• Stakeholder• Residents• Professional

/ NPO

• Law / Enactment• Fund / Incentives• Community

Activity

• Individual Building Preservation (Physical)- Strictly prohibit the

changes on building- Facade only- Whole Structure

• Individual Building Preservation (Land use / Function)- Successive occupancies

while restore the building

- Adaptive Use / Re-use (Change owner – to achieve the purpose of use / No changes on owner)

• Zoning the heritage area (Emphasize the whole heritage environment)- Whole /Certain

streetscape and ambience (Preserve the characteristic of the area)

• Preserve the culture as prior- Residents’ Perception /

basic need

• Tourism• Economy• Social -

Community living environment / Culture

• National Heritage

• World Heritage City

• Internal Impact- Social (Quality

of Life)• External Impact

- Appropriateness in adopting the International regulation to local

- International pressure


TABLE 6. The factors / elements of heritage conservation pathway in inner city of Penang, Hanoi, Shanghai and Tokyo

Cities Rehabilitation & Conservation

Initiative / Intention

EntityInvolved Method Preservation

Type

Achievement / Current

StatusImplication

George Town, Penang

1970s 2008~Implementation of ambitious urban renewal scheme of KOMTAR.Demolition of 11 acres comprising largely of traditional shophouses to make way for the development.

Heritage Conservationist Organization and etc.Local Government Stakeholder

Restriction by rule and enactment.No building of structure shall be altered or demolished if there is any conceivable way of preserving it in its original or current condition. Emphasizing the environment of living heritage by preserving the physical structure and living activities in the designated zone.

Interim the conservation zone to create the multiculturalism living environment.

UNESCO World Heritage City

Confliction between local community and international restriction.Preservation pressure from outside.

Ancient Quarter, Hanoi

1990s 2004~Heavy immigration from rural provinces during and after wars of independence, the population density has risen gradually brought the threat to heritage building.

Local GovernmentLocal Community

Regulation was set and included the preservation plan in development planReduce population densityImprove the infrastructureRelocate the squatter housing and protect the environmentRestrict the average construction height of 2-3 storey and limit the number of high rise buildings.

Encourage the utilization of building with economy activity other than just living inside it.

National Historic Heritage.Tourism based heritage town.

Improvement of physical living environment is needed.

Lilong,(Xintiandi, Tianzifang)Shanghai

1970s 1995~With the Chinese open policy and the consequent rapid development in the inner city, the issue of historic preservation has emerged because of pressures changing the urban landscape.

Local GovernmentVarious related industries

Preserve building heritage by implement the restriction & guide in restoration work.Display historic value & economic value of Lilong architecture.Significance & unique characteristic of the whole area are enhanced. Surrounding environment are revitalized with various commercial, art and traditional industry activities.

Preserve the building individually. Adaptive use of heritage building.

Generated as active commercial and creative industry area.

Confliction between residents’ willingness and perception on the preservation movement.Most of residents stay inside. Because of tourists and new functions, the quality of living is worse.

Yanaka, Tokyo

1970s 1998~Yanaka district has not been preserved under any legal system while development in Tokyo has boosted after WWII especially during Olympic Games in 1960.

Local Volunteer: Local residents, professors, university students.

Establishment of NPOs for heritage and cultural preservation, proposing solution for living environmentEncouraging the participation of local community.

Preservation of local community life and culture as prior. Consider the basic need of local community.

Significant historical residential area surrounded by rapid development.

Continuous effort is needed. Inheriting the preservation effort to younger generation became the issue.


DISCUSSION

Rapid population growth is putting ever more pressure on Asia countries. Although many countries have done much in the past to preserve their heritage in inner city, but to make sure the effort is efficiency enough, it should take strong will and vision to see it through. Through the time and experience, cities will only learn the effective way to preserve their heritage especially in the inner city which is facing the development pressure from surrounding but this problem needs to be addressed as early as possible before the historical elements in inner city disappears. Thus, which building / area should be the preserved subject, who should take the responsibility in deciding it and how to implement the sustainable conservation? Conservation is concerned with managing change dynamically by preventing the decay of buildings or sites (Feilden 2003), but it is not merely to protect and preserve things which are old because not every historical legacy could be preserved, otherwise historical area in inner city will become static, rigid and take on the aspect of a museum only for sightseeing. Cities were living beings and ecosystems. Jacobs, 1961 has advocated that preservation of old building specifically will make the lower income society affordable to stay down while generate the community diversity. Urban conservation is about how people live, work and play in an area. Conservation in inner city will direct and indirectly bring the impact on economic, socio-cultural, physical environment and politics. It helps to reduce urban sprawl and reduce the creation of new towns through the revitalization of old town and adaptive use of the old buildings. Through the designation of conservation areas or town, it will attract more tourists and generate the local economy. As the inhabitant in inner city, local community has very important role in preserving their living environment as they might be the decision maker or otherwise they will tend to be dominated. The involvement of inhabitants in inner city in the decision-making process is important because what the inhabitants may want to preserve may not have any “architectural value”, but still represents the soul of their district, and so strengthens their living environment identity without exploited by the development wave of surrounding. Anyhow, it is the fact that conservation is very difficult for many countries especially in those in the developing world which are struggling between monetary gains and sustainable urban conservation. The conservation

value becomes a controversial issue for government, hardly even for lower income community in deciding the worth of protection the heritage in inner city or the worth for development. In the developing countries, conservation is only a minority interest if compared to other urban asset development. In fact, conservation is more often seen to be an obstacle to urban real estate development especially in inner city. Either it will be the heritage tourism spot or completely developed as new town, which both are also aimed as profit making project. It might be able to help the economy but the social aspect also have to be considered well. Thus, urban planners and decision maker must strike a fine balance between modernizing the city and preserving urban unique characteristic including the social need. Heritage conservation is not merely preserving the physical side and character of the area, but also its social fabric while the traditional uses need to be protected and conserved.

REFERENCES

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School of Creative Science and Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Waseda University*Corresponding Author. Tel: (80)03-5286-8093 Fax: (80)03-5286-8093E-mail: [email protected]

Received: 12 July 2015Accepted: 14 January 2016

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